Connections

[Rhonya]

Night had fallen over the jungles of Tanaan, as a thick blanket covering the land, making all the shadows look more deep, more threatening. The fighting continued, almost in a different way now. This was the time of the assassins, the stalkers, hunters of prey that took the opportunity to take their targets unaware, using the dark to their advantage. The jungle was never sleeping, the jungle was never still.

Neither was one of the shapes in the camp of Rangari Refuge. Footsteps sounded as the Laughing Skull guard made his way across the camp. It all seemed quiet, but he knew this was just a farce. Soon enough attacks would come again, once the forces on the Iron Front had a moment of fall back, or send another Gronnling up here to try and see if they could take the camp. He simply walked his usual round, a bit bummed that nothing was happening, nothing to distract him, nothing to kill. As he passed one of the huts though, he did hear an odd noise. For a moment he was highly amused as the thought passed him it were probably just two orcs in a loving embrace he was hearing, so he let out a soft snicker and prepared to continue his round. However, when he heard another noise, it was clear this was more a sound of pain, of unease, made by only one orc.
In his curiosity, he approached the tent and looked inside, seeing one of the females of that tribe that had joined them in camp not too long ago. Her face was red and sweaty, her hair damp and sticking to her cheeks and neck. She looked asleep, but not very happy with it. Then he remembered that this one was one of their shaman. Didn’t they often dream odd..? He’d better leave her alone.
He closed the tent flap again, leaving the she-orc to her dreams, grumbling to himself that it was such a boring night.


Rhonya felt like she was burning up. There was fire all around her, blocking the way towards where she wanted to go, towards the tribe on the other side, who needed her help. She could see them through the flames, fighting, falling, calling for her aid, but they couldn’t see her. Snarling softly in frustration, Rhonya took the leap, into the fire in front of her. They needed her, she couldn’t let them die!

A pain seared through her chest and everything went dark for a few moments as she fell into nothingness, the scene having disappeared. The new mark on her chest was burning, deeper into her skin. The mark of the fire elemental…  They had all left their marks, but this one on her heart. Did it mean anything special, was fire again taking claim on her here, pushing water aside? She’d have to work on her control, if that was the case, Rhonya didn’t want to burn more orcs in her anger…
For a few moments she was simply falling, until she just felt more like she was floating in the darkness, the searing pain of the mark on her chest fading away slowly until a soothing calm came over her. 

“Do not fear, little shaman. We will carry you. We will protect you. But you need to trust us.”
It was the voice of the void elemental that had spoken to her before in the ritual. Rhonya still didn’t really know what to make of it, she’d never worked with void, never felt the connection before, or the urge to actually try and reach for it. But now there it was, and she didn’t know what to do with it…

Rhonya was still floating, but now it felt more like she was in the water, being carried by a current, surrounding her in its cool embrace. She felt safe here, and closed her eyes, letting it guide her and take her away into more calm dreams. The fel ward on her back glowed up slightly, some new marks added to the runes, though not by needle and ink. This was the blessing she’d gotten, that Gashuk had asked for her of the furies of Draenor, to help her function in the fel infested areas of it.

Rhonya opened her eyes, and found she was in her own hut, nearly bathing in sweat under the layers of fur she was sleeping under. Throwing them aside, she groaned and sat up to reach for her waterskin, thankfully taking a few deep gulps before focusing on her surroundings. Gashuk had said she probably wouldn’t sleep easy, and he hadn’t been wrong. It was almost as if the furies still had to get familiar with her properly, visiting her in her dreams, touching her own spirit, keeping her mind occupied and demanding her attention in a very different way than what she was used with the elements on Azeroth.

She sighed deeply, pouring some of the water over her sweaty face as well. It had been needed, if she was to function properly here in the jungles… Srelok was missing, she couldn’t just let him be tortured and killed out there. Her only left family member… Gashuk had his prayer beads, but if that was a blessing or a curse, she didn’t know.
She’d also heard Sadok still hadn’t arrived, while others had told her he would only be gone for a short while and follow them later. Another bloodbrother missing…? She didn’t want to think of it, not now.

With a loud grunt, Rhonya dropped herself back onto the furs, looking up at the roof of the tent.
“Spirits help me through this time… I don’t want to be alone. I can’t be alone… I won’t survive…”
She spoke the words softly, and a new pain went through her. She was an oathbreaker, she’d left her mate… She was alone in body, for a few months already. It still hurt her, thinking back on it, what she had said, but also what Therak had said to her. He hadn’t understood the stab in the heart he’d given her, and only wrenched the knife around until she couldn’t take it anymore and fled from the pain, from the words, leaving him.

Pulling some more of the furs over herself again, Rhonya curled up on her side and closed her eyes, squeezing them shut. She wanted something to hold, the urge to put her arms around something and fall asleep was so strong that she just hugged the furs instead, her shoulders shaking softly as she sobbed. No one here to hold close, none of her cubs, no mate, no one to bury her nose in their hair and sniff up the familiar scent of someone she loved and trusted…

No one but the spirits in her mind and around her. At least those would always be there…

[Kozgugore]

Daw, poor Rhonrhon! Someone needs a firm bit of hugging right here!

[Sinami]

Aww... poor Rhonya. Seems like everyone is completely miserable in Tanaan.